


young gods

by stanswhore



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Human Elena Gilbert, Klaus Mikaelson Has A Heart, Klena - Freeform, slight Elena Gilbert/Elijah Mikaelson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-20 22:07:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30011646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stanswhore/pseuds/stanswhore
Summary: In a moment of weakness, Elena let's herself drown in Klaus Mikaelson. But one night can change everything.
Relationships: (scenes of) Elena Gilbert/Elijah Mikaelson, Elena Gilbert/Klaus Mikaelson
Comments: 15
Kudos: 80





	1. you’re human tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Stefan left her on Wickery Bridge, Klaus comes to pick up his doppelgänger.

She doesn't know why he did it, not even when he told her. _Klaus_. Damon had told her all the unthinkable things that happened during the course of the summer. All the things Klaus had Stefan do; she tried to understand past the horror of it ... but she couldn't. Not after all the vulnerability she had bared to her ex-boyfriend, unwilling to believe he'd use it against her.

But he did.

Elena stood alone on the bridge, overlooking the river which had took her parents—and nearly her—away, tears dried by the windy night. She had stood there silently, basking in the night sky, unable to pick up the phone and call for someone to get her. Even with the cold numbing her, she stood still, trying to comprehend what had happened to her life.

Her ears rung with Stefan's harsh voice, Klaus shouting at his protégé to stop the car. Elena still felt Stefan's blood on her tongue, remembering the fear crawling in her veins as she had been forced to drink it. She had been sure—despite Klaus' surrender—she'd die that night. Stefan's hard expression had made her think she'd die at eighteen, forever stuck. Her arm throbbed slightly at the pain from Stefan's hard braking, but she ignored it, allowing a tiny part of her, the masochistic part, to believe it was her fault.

In a way, it was. Jenna and John were dead because of her. Stefan had to suffer a summer of bloodlust because of her. Caroline had became a vampire and Tyler a werewolf, now a hybrid, because of her. Isobel's death, and many others she wouldn't allow to invade her head. Because she wore a face that made the world revolve around _her_.

Her legs trembled under her, giving away as she fell on the cement, letting the pain in her butt ease away. She leaned against one of the steel rails, unconsciously shivering when the wind howled, blowing more cold air into her face. She welcomes it, liking the tiny knives stabbing her bare skin. She was so use to pain at this point, she might as well enjoy it, knowing it was karma doing it's job for all the lives she destroyed.

Bright headlights came for view at the corner of her eyes, but she didn't look, too busy staring at the sky. Elena couldn't remember a time she had taken the time to stare the stars, alone that is. She furiously blocks the memory of last fall, blocking the memory of Stefan's company as they watched the comet hurling across the sky.

The car door opened, and closed. Footsteps could be heard over the soft purr of the engine, only to disappear after a few steps. Suddenly, she felt someone besides her, and she finally met his gaze. Elena was surprised at the worry in Klaus' eyes, the blue irises taking in every inch of her body, his nose scrunching, trying to sniff blood that his eyes couldn't see.

When his inspection was done, and relieved by the results, his shoulders sagged in relief, the concern flashing away, replaced by the hardness. He met her eyes, and with her delayed actions, she slowly moved away from the hybrid. He smirked at the not-so-subtle movement.

"Here I was worried Stefan drove you off the bridge out of spite." he spoke, amusement lacing his tone, but she detected the anger behind it. With furrowed brows, he eyed the doppelgänger, confused by her silent behavior. He half expected her to slap him, or run away. "Let's get you home, love."

It wasn't until she felt his arms snake around her legs and back, swiftly pulling her up in a position she deemed too intimate, did Elena flinch away from his touch, bringing herself to her feet. She shot a glare at the amused hybrid, dusting off the nonexistent dirt off her lap. "Leave me alone."

"Don't be so hostile, I'm merely offering you a ride home since your boyfriend was so adamant on leaving you here." Klaus replied, his smug smirk growing as she stumbled over a crack. "Your anger is misplaced, after all, you should be thanking me."

She scowled at him, wiping away the dry tears, the wetness streaking her face. Elena didn't want to look as pathetic as she felt, especially under Klaus' gaze. "For what? Compelling Stefan to turn his humanity off? For killing Jenna? Trust me, that's the last thing I'll ever do."

Just as she turned her back to him, with the intention of walking home rather than get in the same car as Klaus, she was stopped by the warm hand grabbing her arm, pulling her back. Klaus glowered at the doppelgänger's stubbornness, too mentally exhausted to put up with her hate. "Get in the car, Elena."

"No."

"I wasn't asking." Klaus' teeth clenched together, but his hand loosened its grip on her arm. She stared back at his hard eyes, and the frown that had been etched on her face turned wary.

In a quiet voice, so quiet she wasn't sure if he heard, she whispered. "I don't want to go home."

Elena's eyes drifted to her shoes, missing the flash of softness cloud Klaus' features before he composed his expression. The hybrid sighed, pulling her towards his car. "I need a drink. You look like you'll need one as well. Let's go, love."

In defeat, she let Klaus lead her to his car, stepping into passenger seat as he opened the door for her. Elena knew it wasn't an act of kindness, but a possessive gesture. She would always be bound to him, history made sure their lives wouldn't be written without the other. The reminder was clear; she was his blood bag. In his eyes, she served no other purpose than to create more hybrids.

Klaus got in the driver's seat, throwing her a glance before stepping on the gas, lurching the car forward into the dark road. The ride was silent and neither of the occupants made conversation. Elena stared at the window, seeing nothing but darkness and glimpses of flashing trees. She barely paid attention to her surroundings, only realizing Klaus hadn't driven her home, but to his mansion.

The hybrid stopped the car in front of the large entrance way. Elena raised an eyebrow, confused. Klaus opened his door, using vampire speed to rush to her side, opening her door. Wary, she stepped out, ignoring the hand Klaus had held out.

"What're we doing here?" she asked, her voice hoarse. Elena cleared her throat, looking at the marble structure. She hasn't been inside the mansion that Klaus had built for his family; she wasn't sure if she ever wanted to be.

Klaus led her to the door, motioning her in as soon as he opened it. Cautiously, she entered. "Well, you said so yourself, you're reluctant to go home, and I stated I needed a drink. From what happened earlier tonight, I'd rather not risk Stefan making his grab at you, again, if we were to stop at the only bar in this small town. And I'm guessing you'd rather not travel out of the state's border for some measly drink, which leaves us here."

Her eyes wandered in curiosity as she took in the house, surprised by the decor—somewhat expecting dungeons and all the tools necessary for torture, yet instead were normal, mundane furnitures. Elena had only been half-listening to Klaus' explanation, not bothering to fight back, especially knowing she had no ground to stand on other than hating his existence. So, she kept her mouth shut, silently admiring the expensive mansion.

  
  


Elena Gilbert knew, as she sat down on the leather sofa of her worst enemy, she knew that there was nothing she could do to fix Stefan. Sitting back, she waited for her glass of alcohol, thinking all the while of the consequences of Stefan's actions. She knew at the moment she sat down, her and Stefan were over.

For good.

  
  


She nursed the glass of scotch, taking pleasure in the burn of the liquid. He watched as she took a sip, raising a brow when the doppelgänger didn't hesitate, and he realized Stefan's stupidity had hurt her more than she'd ever let on. Klaus pressed his lips against his own glass, gulping down the remains as he followed your gaze at the fireplace, the fire illuminating a warmth that filled the silence.

Of course, he had to ruin the somewhat comfortable silence. Klaus leaned back in his chair, studying Elena's every move. "Something tells me you won't be too fond of Stefan after tonight."

"Huh, wonder why." she snapped back, scowling at him once again. Instead of getting angry, he gave her a grin, pushing down the wrath he had been planning against the younger Salvatore. Elena brushed back a stray hair, tucking it behind her ear as she took another sip. "I'm betting you're not exactly jumping with glee at the stunt he pulled."

Klaus' jaw clenched, his fingers tightening their grip on his glass, short of breaking it. Yet, he kept the smug facade on, mostly for the girl's reaction. "Can't say I am. Although, next time he takes you away, I suggest carrying a stake."

"You're saying there's going to be a next time?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, as Klaus shrugged, the smirk slowly turning into a frown. Elena ignored the burning stare he gave her, shifting her gaze to the fireplace. Under her breath, she murmured, "Why not? I'll probably be dead before my next birthday."

"Not while I'm still breathing." Klaus interjected, his voice almost as low as hers. Her head whipped to face him, wondering if she had imagined the raw emotion in his voice. With his expression smug, again, she noted she was hearing things. He threw her a saccharine grin. Another reminder: he owned her.

Elena couldn't help but laugh humorlessly at his statement, knowing he might not be breathing as long he would hope. Klaus' eyes narrowed, yet he couldn't help the uncontrollable twitch that made the corners of his lips curl up. He hadn't heard the girl laugh, even with the sarcasm lacing in the chuckle, he found it refreshing, enticing a laugh from Elena Gilbert was certainly an unknown accomplishment he had done.

"Your words are empty, you'd simply kill me yourself when I'm in no longer of use to you." she muttered, downing the rest of her drink. Elena winced at the burn, placing the glass on the table beside the couch.

"On the contrary, I wish you no harm, love." said Klaus, swirling his drink around. His lips curled at the corners, his eyes subconsciously drifting to the slight pout on the doppelgänger's lips. "If it wasn't for the constant attempts to rid the world of me, I'd find you rather kind."

She scoffed, pushing down whatever sympathy she had for the monster. "If that's the ground we're debating on, then I'd find you ... _okay_ if you weren't so hellbent on killing everyone I love."

He chuckled, amused by her choice of wording. "Spending an excessive amount of time with the Salvatores has changed your mind set, hasn't it? Unlike Katerina, you were smart enough to surrender. You've fulfilled your part—with the exception of giving me my desired quantity of blood—meaning, your safety is my top priority."

"I thought it was getting your family back." she replied, the warmth seeping in her voice. She was no longer cold, the scotch warming her up enough to no longer need the jacket she wore.

Klaus took his eyes off of her, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the glass in his hand. "They're close behind."

The sadness in his eyes—the one he had tried to hide—resurfaced, his face momentarily breaking into a pained expression before the hybrid quickly composed his expression. Elena sympathized, knowing how much family meant, the burden it brought when something went awry.

For the first time, she understood his pain.

  
  


For his amusement—at least he's convinced himself it was—he gave Elena Gilbert a tour. She saw it as an obvious way to flaunt, both his money and architecture skills, still she was curious of what kind of home he built for his siblings.

Of course, it satisfied his taste for lavish items, the paintings hanging in the halls were beautiful, the furnitures worth more than her house, the tiny golden objects that decorated the mansion seemed to glimmer underneath the crystal lights.

They paused outside a room, and without his permission, clouded by her curiosity, she entered, not sensing the tense hybrid. With eyes wide with interest, she studied the room, filled with paintings and unpainted canvases. Elena eyes a particular painting, a swirl of dark shades of gray, a void that overtakes the canvas.

She could make out a lonely face, an eye that could only be described as agonized. Even with the pained expression, she could only describe the painting as captivating, if not _grand_. Instinctively, Elena reached out, fingertips lightly grazing over the dry paint, the texture somewhat smooth despite the canvas.

"Did ... did you paint this?" Elena asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Surprise painted her tone, but all Klaus felt was pride, softening at her words.

"I did. One of my favorites, truth to be told."

She nodded, appreciating the painting. Her head tilted, her fingers touching the frame. It wasn't hung, but leaned against the wall, propped on the glass table. "It's beautiful."

"I take it this would qualify in your top five, if not your favorite?" Klaus mused, resisting the urge to show her his better works, to impress the girl even more, wanting to see her reactions to the paintings he had grown fond of. If anything had came from the night, he cared about her, and what she thought, more than he wished to admit.

Elena fought the desire to smile. "Definitely. Which one is your favorite?"

The one she had been admiring had became his more treasured painting as soon as she had complimented him. Klaus bit back a grin, shrugging casually. With a monotone voice—although he wasn't succeeding, excitement had leaked through—Klaus said, "There are too many to choose from."

"If someone were to aim a gun at you and asked you to pick one, which one would it be?" Elena asked, in attempt to find the answer that Klaus was content to keep a secret.

"If anyone were to point a gun at me, I'd simply rip out their hearts before they could utter a word." he smirked, watching her warm, brown eyes roll. Elena gave him a pointed look, her hand placed on her hip. He chuckled. "The one I'm working on currently. It's not finished, but I have to admit it'll be quite hard to beat."

Her eyes flickered to the canvas held by the easel, cloth draped over it, and she had to bite her lip to keep from asking to see it. Klaus saw the interest in her eyes, yet, he waited for the question. "Oh."

He lets her off the hook. "If you ever decide you've had enough playing with the Salvatores in the near future, it'll be done. You're welcome to come by to see it, or maybe you'll invite me in."

She snorted, but the possibility hung. Elena wasn't stupid enough to let curiosity be the one thing that let Klaus have access to the one family member she had left. However, walking through these halls weren't ... impossible, just improbable. "Or, you could just show me right now."

"No can do, love. I'd rather not rob you of the full effects when it's finished." Klaus responded, his wide smirk growing at her playful frown. He hadn't known Elena Gilbert to be like this.

Elena glanced around the room, finding other his other work fascinating, yet, nothing seemed to beat the first painting, the one that had caught her eye. If anyone were to look at it, they would've barely comprehended the depth of emotions layered into the work, but she understood. Despite being the king of everything, the most powerful being in the world, Klaus was alone.

When her parents had died, the stretch of time she had to grieve before putting on a smile, was the hardest thing she had went through. Innocent Elena hadn't known the trouble the future held, but somehow her parents' death was on the top of the mental list she kept in her head. A list of nightmares she could never shake.

Jenna, who was know gone, thanks to Elena's stupidity, had been consumed herself in sadness before getting assigned the guardian role. Nonetheless, even attending to the Gilbert children, it seemed like her mind was far away. Jeremy had hit rock bottom, and Elena was drowning in her own grief to stop him. She merely didn't have the energy. She felt alone.

Spending a thousand years alone could break someone. She's only met two of his siblings but she couldn't fathom he had been with them the entirety of ten centuries. With how both Elijah and Rebekah turned their backs on their brother, she could only imagine the things he had done to betray their trust. Of course, she did deceive both Mikaelson, for her own greedy reasons. Elena could only wonder if Klaus felt the guilt she had when she crossed them.

Coming back to the present, she noticed Klaus' heavy gaze on her and immediately looking away, but she felt his baby blues on her. Clearing her throat, she stood up straighter, wishing she had her phone. Caroline would be worried, and she didn't want to deal with the worried, overwhelmed blonde. "I should get going."

The words escaped his lips before he could stop them, but somehow he didn't regret it. "Or you can stay. It'd save me some gas, which is one step closer to saving the environment, won't you say?"

She burst out laughing, and for a moment Klaus became offended, but the longing became cleared in her eyes. Klaus couldn’t help but smile. Elena’s giggle subsided, and she looked around the room once more. She nodded. “For the environment.”

Klaus ignored his heart skipping a beat.

  
  


Elena glared at the empty bottle of scotch, cluelessly, and drunkenly wondering where all the alcohol went. “I think we need more alcohol.”

Klaus, who had been having fun, agreed. Using his supernatural speed, he fetched another bottle from the basement, quickly opening it and pouring the doppelgänger another glass. He had been too focused on granting her wish, he hadn’t realize how close he was.

The fire place had died out an hour ago, leaving both parties to talk to each other without the flames to entertain. With Elena’s blurred senses, she hadn’t seen Klaus ogle her, and had been too slow to pull her eyes away, catching her glance at him too many times for him to count. Their conversation had changed consistently, neither of them getting into a topic too deep or painful, keeping the conversation discussion free and light.

Elena froze, aware of the lack of space Klaus left, her body automatically tilting towards him. He met her eyes, her pupils dilated, her heart beating in his ears. He raised an eyebrow, and she nodded, knowing what he was silently asking. Glass shattered on the marble floor.

Klaus smashed his lips against Elena’s, relishing in the softness. She moved hers in sync with his, her now empty hands tangling themselves in his hair while his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. He ran them to his bedroom, leaving the broken glass shattered on the floor.


	2. stumble through heaven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaus and Elena get to know each other. Really, really well.

With busy lips and drunken, lusty thoughts, Elena found herself underneath the hybrid, clawing at his shirt, her focus divided between his lips suckling at her neck, and the need to get his shirt off. A moan escaped her lips as Klaus gently nips her ears, her nails digging in his back, despite the cloth in her way to his bare skin.

In a crossroads with wanting Elena's top off and wanting to savior the reality of his fantasies—fantasies he's daydreamed after sinking his fangs into Elena's neck as he drained her—Klaus came to the conclusion of helping the young girl's attempt to rid of his shirt, before getting her out of hers.

Their clothes flew to the floor, and his lips were on her's again, feverish, and greedy. The bed was soft against Elena's back, her hair spread across the silk sheets. Klaus had taken a mental picture of the goddess that laid beneath him, too beautiful to capture for human eyes. She clawed at his back, nails digging. Klaus' hands trailed up her waist, resting on her breasts before giving them a rather hard squeeze, drawing out another euphoric moan from the doppelgänger.

Elena rolled him onto his back, straddling his thigh as his head hit the mattress. His fingers crawled up her back, unhooking her bra in one second, his tongue swirling her nipple in the next. Her back arched, allowing him easier access to his conquest, her crotch grinding against his and she could feel him hardening against her. She pulled his mouth back to hers, gently biting his bottom lip as she worked his belt.

She's had sex with vampires before, brothers in fact, so she was familiar with the range of lust, but Klaus surprised her. He was both gentle and rough, his touch both caring and harsh. Nonetheless, her moves were in sync with his, the room filling with sexual desires that could only be pleased by one another.

She palmed him through his jeans, earning her a deep growl, and she smirked, her fingers itching to unzip his fly. Klaus mirrored her actions, his lips suckling at the two circle-shaped scars his fangs had left, marking her as his; he unbuttoned her jeans, his hands grappling her waist as he whooshed them to the nearest wall.

He heard her head hit the wall, and before he could check if she was okay, he heard her whimper, a saccharine smirk curling her lush lips. Klaus took half a second to process her newly found kink, and in that moment, Elena Gilbert sunk to her knees, his jeans bunching up at his ankles. He kicked off his pants, and her lustful smirk widened.

Settling her gaze on the bulge, she licked her lips, deciding whether to tease him or get straight to the point. Elena pressed her lips against his lower stomach, trailing soft kisses down as her thumbs hooked around the band, slowly pulling his boxers down with each kiss.

Klaus wanted to demand her to stop being a tease, but he knew if he opened his mouth, he'd give her the satisfaction of hearing him groan from her actions. So, he stood still, bucking his lips when his cock sprung from his boxers, kicking his underwear across the room. Elena peered through her long lashes up at him, her hands trailing up his thighs.

She licked her lips, her gentle hand wrapping around the base of his cock, biting her lip when Klaus jumped slightly. Peering up at him, she licked the tip, beaming when an impatient hiss broke free of Klaus' lips. Licking the head, Elena shaped her lips around the head, and Klaus had to close his eyes. If he'd seen her lips around his cock, he was certain he'd cum right there and then.

"Elena." he growled, bucking his hips, only to be stopped by her hand on his thigh. Throwing his head back, he stared at the ceiling, feeling her lips tighten.

Then she pulled away, her mouth making a 'pop' sound. She took a moment to admire the fine specimen in front of her, no longer wondering how the hybrid could be so confident when the world was against him. With her hands on his hips, she turned them around, pushing him against the wall, giving him no time to recover from the surprise as she went down on him once again.

The doppelgänger took his cock in her throat easily, slowly suckling him as she took more and more. Elena didn't stop until her nose touched his pelvis, taking all of the eight inches in. He relished in the pleasure, noting her tongue working under the skin of his cock, bringing him closer to the edge in a short amount of time.

Her head bobbed on his length, sucking intensely, appreciating the almost delicious taste of Klaus. The hybrid wondered where she had mastered this skill, jealousy seeping his bloodstream as he thought about the Salvatores, uncounted humans who had been lucky to have not encounter him, and angered even by the high school quarterback.

Elena took her time, unknowingly helping his resistance to coming undone so quickly, her tongue doing wonders to the Mikaelson. She felt the salty precum on her tongue, taking pleasure in the taste, unsure if she'd be able to taste it once more. It wasn't until her tongue swiftly worked on the tip that Klaus intervened, his fingers entangling in her hair, pulling back and his hard cock slipped from her mouth.

He enjoyed the pout she wore from the absence of his cock, and Klaus sped them back to the bed, shimmying her jeans off in a second. With his teeth showing, Klaus ripped her red thong, gaining a surprise gasp from Elena. The fabric was in shreds as it hit the floor, the hybrid staring at the present awaiting for him between her legs.

"Klaus!" she scolded, slapping his arm as he positioned himself over her, her legs wrapping around his waist. "I liked those."

Smirking, he pressed his lips under her breast, his tongue trailing towards her mound. His hands mapped her body, her back arching to his touch, her hands clutching the silk sheets in anticipation. "I'll buy you another pair, love."

Her thighs erupted with goosebumps as she felt Klaus' mouth. He nipped at the inside of her thigh, enticing a small amount of pain, small enough to add to her pleasure, her leg jerking from the tiny bite. Klaus licked the droplet of blood leaking from the pierced skin, a hum vibrating his throat. 

He could feel the slickness between Elena's thighs, his fingers on the outskirts, teasing the girl as she rolled her hips, desperate for release. But Klaus followed her earlier actions, watching her reactions to his teasing. The hybrid dug his fingers in her waist, pulling her destined spot closer to his lips.

Clutching the bed sheets, Elena arched her back, squirming around the bed, waiting for his promising mouth on hers, toes curling in anticipation. His hands move down, his fingertips trailing over her hips, gripping the back of her thighs, spreading her legs wider. She felt his stubble against her thigh, tickling her skin, but Elena was too far gone in pleasure to react to the ticklish sensation.

Glancing at her expression, Klaus let the tip of his tongue touch her clit, the little bud swollen from the teasing. His teeth grazed the bundle of nerves, Elena gasped, bucking her hips closer, wanting more. The sight of her face could only be described as blissful. Her fingers found themselves in his curls, pushing him closer to her.

Grinning, Klaus licked her clit, his tongue exploring the ins of her, a breathless moan enticing from the brunette. He insert his index finger into her cunt, curling his finger, searching for the one spot that would bring her over the edge.

Elena whimpered, rolling her hips along with his movements, her grip on his hair tightening to the point where it brought Klaus slight pain, pushing him to please the girl more. He watched as her chest risen, her breasts heaving from the heavy panting, her face in a complete haze of euphoria.

Curling his finger while his tongue worked on her clit, Klaus was victorious when he found the spot, Elena's breathy moans filling the room, the sound of pure pleasure entering his ears. He doubled down his efforts, inserting another finger in her, his tongue flicking quickly, suckling the bundle of nerves that brought the brunette closer and closer to becoming undone.

It was Klaus' yellow glowing yellow eyes, peering at her as he worked to make her cum, that was her undoing. The sight of Klaus between her legs had been a part of the overwhelming sensation, the big bad wolf pleasing someone else other than himself, but the eyes. The eyes of a wolf that had been caged for a millennial, had broke the dam.

He felt her tighten around his fingers, her legs trembling, a sound that was a mix of a whimper and cry filled the room. Klaus stopped, appraising Elena's satisfaction. Once she came down from the high, she found Klaus' eyes observing her, his toned torso hovering over her.

Kissing her collarbone, he moved her hair to uncover the scar of his bite from last spring, his cock twitching at the sight. On occasion, where he was in the presence of the doppelgänger's company, he would catch sight of his bite, his claim that would bring him delight. Seeing it up close, seeing her naked beneath him was truly a sight.

"Klaus." she whispered, touching his cheek with gentleness that could only be described as care. His eyes glowed yellow for a moment.

He returned her sentiment, kissing her slightly swollen lips, tipping her chin to meet his kiss. She tasted of the scotch they had drank, and he tried to convince himself he was as drunk as she was. "Yes, my sweet Elena?"

Her heart fluttered, the beat in sync with his own. "Fuck me."

Klaus granted her wish, reaching between them to guide his cock into her, his eyes never leaving hers as he entered her warmth. Her mouth formed an O, her eyelids fluttering. She had never felt so full, never thought Klaus could be so gentle. He allowed her to get accustomed to his size, only moving when she thrusted her hips towards him, begging him to move.

Both their groans filled the room, Elena dug her nails into his back, drawing blood, the droplets dripping down his back, blood staining under her nails. Klaus clenched his teeth at the pain, wanting to ask if she had wanted to mark him the way he wished to have with her. 

His lips fell to her neck, and before she knew it, she felt his teeth sink into her skin, drawing another moan from the brunette. Her nails pressed harder into his back, dragging them down as more blood bleed. Klaus tasted her blood as she clawed his back and he was, once again, addicted. Her blood called out for him, so much sweeter and powerful than any he's tasted. 

Close to her release, Elena tilted her hips at an angle, with Klaus pounding into the one spot that filled her with immense pleasure. The sting of his bite had numbed, the only pain she felt was the slight pull as he drank her blood, and with every second Klaus drank, the closer she got to her release, and the more she grew dizzy.

Klaus thrusted into her, and the coil broke once more, a particularly ongoing moan that belonged to Elena became louder than his grunts. Her walls tightened around him, bringing him near to his own orgasm. She laid limp under him, and it wasn't until her arms wrapped around his neck that he realized he took a little too much blood from her.

With her blood still on his lips, he pulled back, staring at the dazed Elena, sweaty, and gorgeous. Klaus brought his sharpened claw to his neck, cutting a slit, and blood dripped onto her breast. Taking the hint, Elena brought her mouth to the leak, tasting the warm liquid that brought her health back. With the feel of Elena drinking from him, an intimate gesture he had shared with no one, brought him over the edge. He spilled his seed into her, relishing in her warmth.

After living a few lifetimes, Klaus' religious beliefs had changed and differed. Although, after becoming the monster that his father—stepfather—thought him to be, he'd never envisioned himself to belong in heaven, knowing full well, not only does the rumored place not exist, but a creature like him, who's caused so much suffering would not be be able to enter such a sacred place. But as he held Elena Gilbert in his arms, he truly believed he was in a presence on an angel.

Tired beyond belief, the lovers let their heavy eyelids close, and Klaus lets himself open to the vulnerability as the brunette unconsciously snuggled closer to him.

He lets her in his arms.

When she wakes, it's still dark out. Carefully, she untangles her limbs from Klaus', quietly getting off the bed, and tiptoed to collect all of her clothes. Elena knew she wasn't in the proper mindset to think about what she had just done. She waits until she's in the hallway to put it on, her heart beating unusually fast.

Thankful for the sneakers she wore, she was able to sneak out of the house without waking the hybrid. She wondered what he would've done if she had awoken him in her haste to leave. There was no doubt he wouldn't have stopped her, maybe have gone another round but he certainly wouldn't have asked to her to stay, right? She shook her head, taking out her phone from her jacket pocket.

Looking at the time, she bit back a groan, walking away from the large mansion. It was nearly four in the morning, surely no one was awake and willing to pick her up. Coming to a decision, Elena decided she would walk a few miles away from the house, knowing well enough by the time she reached her destination, it would late enough for her to call one of her friends to pick her up.

Letting out a yawn, she slowed to a stroll once the mansion was out of view, thinking of the future to keep her mind off the night's activities, of feeling guilty for sleeping with her aunt's killer. She shivered, suddenly aware of the morning’s cold bite.

Her mind was successful to avoid the topic of anything Klaus, remembering painful and nostalgic memories, reliving the past way before any vampires had came into her life. As she saw the clock tower in a distance, Elena checked her phone again, surprised by how slow she had went. It was five by the time she stopped walking.

She rung up Caroline, knowing the blonde wouldn’t ask any questions of Klaus’ involvement. She had told Caroline about Stefan’s plan as she drove, nearly throwing the phone onto the sidewalk as she remembered the fury and hate she felt for the man she once loved. Still loved.

Gratefully, Caroline had ran out of necessary questions as her car pulled up beside Elena. She knew, despite successfully lying to vampires, Caroline would’ve spotted the lie the second it left her lips.

Elena must’ve looked more tired than she felt because Caroline took the necessities to not only drive her home, but to make sure she was asleep, setting her alarm to wake up in two hours before leaving the Gilbert residence. She’d have to chew Stefan out for hurting her best friend, but as of now, the blonde drove back home.

She didn’t dare question why her friend smelled like Klaus.


	3. there’s a light at the end

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coping with the night before can be hard.

"Ugh." Elena groaned, her alarm waking her from her sleep, or more accurately, nap. Rolling over, the sun hit her eyes, having the brunette sit up, her eyes adjusting the to brightness. Turning off her alarm, she rubbed a hand over her eyes.

With another reluctant groan, she got up, pushing herself off the soft comfort of her bed. Memories came rushing back to her. She felt the soreness between her legs, the bite on her neck—although healed—still throbbing, her lips still swollen from the needy kisses, and the taste of his blood still on her tongue.

Pushing them all away, she head for the bathroom, quickly brushing her teeth, furiously trying to rid of the taste before hopping in the shower with boiling hot water, as if that would rid the feel of his hands on her body. She shivered under the hot water, scrubbing her skin with too much force, her skin turning red from her actions. A thought sneaker into her mind.

Despite the shower, she still felt Klaus all over her skin as she got out, leaving her to dry. Feeling too shitty, hungover and sore from last night, Elena decided to skip school, letting her have a day of rest. With her head swimming of Klaus, she had nearly forgotten Stefan.

Nearly.

Both sadness and anger washed over her, the emotions from last night dampened by her betrayal against everyone who had been affected by Klaus. Was she as bad as Katherine? She couldn't be, right? Sleeping with Damon was a mistake, one she had told him to never bring up. And finding herself in bed was Klaus was ... a distraction? A drunken temptation pushed too far by the sexual tension?

A distraction would be a good explanation, not to her friends if her secret ever got out, but to herself. After all, it had, it's still was distracting her from Stefan and the fear she felt as he almost turned her into the creature she never wanted to be. At least, Klaus and her went on the same page; keeping her human. Not for the same reasons, but at least he was content on letting her live a normal life.

Alaric knocked on her door, opening it when she hadn't answered. He found the brunette staring at the ceiling. "Hey, you okay?"

She broke from her reverie, facing the history teacher. "Yeah, just tired. How're you feeling?"

"Other than total crap, I'm okay. Physically." Ric answered. He hadn't mentioned the many times he woke up somewhere he hadn't remembered. He'd heard what the younger Salvatore had done, but the exhaust on Elena's face made him to think otherwise to ask. "You want to ride with me to school?"

"No, it's fine. I'm ditching anyways. After last night, I—" she paused, and Alaric's expression was enough for her to understand how much he knew. Her eyes flickered to the picture of her and Stefan, the one facing her from her nightstand. "I kind of need a day to just ... relax, I guess."

Alaric nodded, reaching for the doorknob. "I get it. Do you want anything before I go? With Jeremy leaving, and Stefan being a dick, you haven't really had the time to attend to your homework. You want me to talk to your other teachers?"

Grateful for him, she shook her head, a small smile curling her lips. "Ric, you don't have to. I'll be fine, don't worry."

"Okay, well," Alaric murmured, glancing at the teen once more. "Don't burn the house down. Call me if you need anything."

Elena nodded, waving him away. Alaric shook his head briefly before closing the door. He reminded himself Stefan had no humanity, although it didn't make him want to punch the vampire any less. Damon would have a hard time ripping Ric off his brother, if he hadn't already beat him to it.

For a few minutes, Elena wandered pointlessly around her room, looking for anything to do other than sulk and cry about the mess that is her life. She'd done far too much crying for tears to brim her eyes anymore. Once she realized there was nothing in her room to distract her from self pity, she head downstairs, missing Jeremy's loud morning routine.

Bonnie was no longer upset with her for sending him off to Denver, not after Elena voiced her concerns to her best friend. But Elena missed her brother, and she made a mental reminder to call him when he'd get done with school.

Just like in her room before, Elena wandered around her house, already bored with her day off. By the time she stopped, it was too late to make plans with Caroline or Bonnie, knowing they'd already be at school. Instead, she returned their texts, explaining the overdue ditch day before they could worry. Before turning off her phone altogether, she sent Caroline a text to redo her birthday party since Stefan had carelessly took her away to blackmail Klaus.

With defeat, Elena slumped on the couch, her mind somehow wandering back to the one man she hadn't want to think about. Turning on the tv, she made sure the volume was loud enough to block unwanted thoughts from entering her mind. Unfortunately, it only worked until the point where her brain tuned out the loud tv, and her mind was once again thinking about the hybrid.

In frustration, she turned off the unruly tv show, and went to text the older Salvatore. A text from Bonnie popped up, but she ignored it for a moment. Sending a text to Damon.

_We need to talk._

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door, nervous, and worried about how he'd react. Surely, not too bad, right? She'd have to make sure he promises not to kill anyone from his pain.

Damon opened the door, dressed in a gray t-shirt and matching black jeans, his hair ruffled from sleep, but his eyes were alert, as if he knew what was coming. "Are you okay?"

"I'll survive." He stepped aside to let her in, and Elena felt guilt wash through her once more, a wave of sickness and shame fleeing across her face. Thankfully, her back was to him as she entered. Turning she played with the hem of her top. "Is ... he here?"

Damon shook his head, brows furrowed as he took in your anxious state. "No, he took off at the ass-crack of dawn."

Elena breathed in a sigh of relief, walking towards the leather couch, plopping herself on top of it as Damon poured himself a bottle of bourbon. The sun shone through the windows, and she could see the dust particles in the air, calming her down to the point where she was able to speak coherently. "Good."

"You know, Stefan won this round for us last night." Damon defended his brother, offering her his glass of bourbon. She scoffed, wishing her hangover had let up enough for her to accept the offer. "He pushed Klaus over the edge. Klaus blinked."

Elena rolled his eyes at his words, exhaust rolling off her shoulders as she momentarily closed her eyes. "Well, his methods sucked."

"Still, we needed it. Klaus has been calling all the shots and Stefan beat him at his own game. He was the better villain."

"Don't sound so impressed," she whispered, pain clear in her voice. Yet, Damon didn't notice.

"Well, can't help but feel a little proud." With a smirk, he took a sip of his bourbon. The doppelganger sighed, sick at the pride in the older Salvatore's tone. He took in her expression, his face softening. "Really, tell me, are you going to be okay?"

She knew she'd recover from the incident, and maybe forgive Stefan for what he did, see it from his point of view but she'd need time. "I'll be okay. But this isn't why I came here."

"Hey, I'm all for getting revenge on Stefan once Klaus is gone, but don't you think we should hold the plotting until we come up with a foolproof plan to--"

Elena held up her hand, interrupting him before he could say the words. "That's not the reason either. Damon, what we did in Denver after saying goodbye to Jeremy, was a mistake. And you probably don't want to hear it, but Damon, we can't do this thing anymore."

Surprised by the turn of events, Damon placed his bourbon on the table and rushed to sit next to the brunette, taking her hands in his. "What? Elena, I understand if you decided to never forgive Stefan for what he did but—"

She ripped her hands away, standing away from the vampire. With a hand on her head, rubbing her temple, she paced. "It's not about Stefan. This is long overdue. Damon ... you don't deserve this. Not after Katherine had manipulated you, not after nearly dying from saving my friends, and not after I've led you on."

The vampire froze, unwilling to believe where this was heading. "Elena."

"I've been selfish," she whispered, tears threatening to spill over. And here she thought she was unable to produce the salty liquid. "I kissed you while Stefan was gagging on blood, I slept with you while he was trying to break free from his compulsion, and you've put your life in danger so many times for me. And I can't let you think this is going where you think it will. Because Damon, you deserve so much better than me."

Damon rushed over to her, taking her in his arms, ignoring her attempts to free herself. "I'm not going to let you go, Elena. Don't you understand how much I love you? After everything I've done, you've forgiven me, time and time. I don't deserve you. Elena, don't do this."

She shook her head, pulling away enough to look at his pained expression, her heart aching but she knew this was the right thing to do. With her voice shaking, a single tear brimmed over her eye. She whispered, "I'm sorry. But it's over."

He let her leave without a word.

She sat in her driveway for a bit, letting her sadness consume her, crying at the pain she had caused him. It was for the better, and she knew one day she'd have to let him go. Her assurance of last night wavered. Was she ready to let go of Stefan, too?

As she sat back in the driver's seat, she struggled to come to a decision about her first love, her state of mind unfit to make such a hasty decision. But she knew she made the right choice with Damon. She knew it was bound to end the moment she tangled her body around his.

Elena backed her car out of the driveway and drove to the location Bonnie had texted her.

Maybe there was no happy ending for someone like her.

Elena stared at the coffins in disbelief, as Bonnie caught her up. The dust had settled onto them, laying in a thin layer over the wooden coffins. She had been wary of the house upon entering but this was something else.

"I've been having these dreams for days now. It's like the witches are trying to send me a message," Bonnie said.

The doppelganger crossed her arms, the shock wearing off. Stefan had been smart to hide the coffins where witches would watch over them. "I just can't believe you guys have kept this from me this whole time."

Bonnie had wanted to fill her friend in but kept her word until she couldn't anymore. "Stefan thought if you knew where the coffins were, Klaus could threaten people to get the information out of you."

Elena sighed, knowing he'd do exactly that. "So are these the rest of his family?"

"Yeah, Elijah and two others. Now this one," Bonnie walked towards the particular coffin, the one which had been locked up. "Is the one we can't open. We don't know who's in it or what's in it, only that I think my dream's telling me to help kill Klaus."

Stefan marched into the room, frowning at the brunette in front of him. He glared at Bonnie. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I needed her to know about the coffin," answered Bonnie.

"And I needed you to keep her out of it, Bonnie," Stefan replied, staring daggers at the witch.

Despite her bubbling anger, she scoffed at him. Killing Klaus hadn't sounded as appealing as before, especially knowing Stefan wasn't going to stop until the hybrid died. "So what are you going to do, Stefan? Are you going to kidnap me so that I won't tell anyone?"

He chuckled wryly, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Don't tempt me, Elena."

"I think I know who can open the coffin, Stefan," Bonnie interject, she glanced at her best friend. "And I need Elena to help me find her."

"Find who? What are you talking about?"

Bonnie dug the picture from her back pocket as the former couple raised their brows. "I couldn't place her face at first. Then I realized ..."

Elena's eyes widened as she looked at the photo. A toddler smiled, the woman next to her grinning. "Oh, my God, Bonnie."

Stefan took the picture and glanced at it. "Who is this?'

"It's my mom."

She helped Bonnie, trying to find the mom that abandoned her, glad she could be helpful for once rather than being the problem. They found the right Abby Bennett, and drove to her house. Stefan had called as they drove, and Elena lied, telling him they were heading to the lake house. The lake house she had invited him.

She listened to Bonnie's concerns, and comforted her friend, wishing she could do more to lessen the crinkles in her forehead.

When they had arrived at Abby's house, Bonnie became more nervous, yet the witch barely showed it, timidly knocking on the door. A man greeted them, they introduced themselves, and before he could invite them in, a phone call interrupted the words from his mouth. Elena felt her phone vibrating in her pocket, and she cursed silently, wondering what else Stefan wanted.

"You go in, I'll be right inside." she explained, digging her phone out of her pocket as she backed off the porch. Elena gave Bonnie an encouraging smile before blindly answering her phone, walking away from the house. She hadn't looked at the caller ID. "What do you want, Stefan?"

A humorless chuckle sounded from her phone. "Wrong vampire, love. I guess it shouldn't surprise me Stefan Salvatore would beg for your forgiveness."

She froze, looking around as if Klaus would somehow pop out of nowhere. Her cheeks turned red. Sarcasm dropped from her voice. "Klaus. Great. Just what I needed."

"Still so hostile, my sweet Elena?" he asked, sounding just as annoyed as her. She heard the sounds of his footsteps through the phone, and she imagined him walking around his empty house.

"How did you get my number, anyways?" asked Elena, huffing out a breath. There was no one around, yet she had the distinct feeling of being watched. She cowered behind a plant. "Happen to snub it from Stefan's phone when you were playing Twilight this summer?"

If it hadn't been for the venom in her tone, he would've laughed. Instead, the hybrid grit his teeth, audible across the phone. "Tyler Lockwood has a very social life despite being a complete arse, doesn't he? Catch me up, how do you manage being his friend after his little feud with your baby brother?"

She sighed. Did he want to talk about what happened? Or would was comfortable throwing smart remarks until the other breaks? Knowing Klaus, Elena guessed they latter, yet, she gave up her pretense, wanting to be there for her friend.

"What do you want, Klaus?" Elena asked, a bit nervous for the answer. Surely he wouldn't have mentioned the night before. It's not like either of them was in the right state of mind that led to the very regrettable action. Nevertheless, she hadn't let herself admit she hadn't regretted it.

He paused, and she heard a door close on his end, a car engine turning in the next second. Another door opened and closed. "Where are you?"

"Are you going to keep answering my questions with more questions?"

She was deflecting. Klaus clutched the phone in his hand tightly, speeding out of his driveway. "If I were to tell you to get out before things get messy, would you listen to me?"

He already knew the answer but he couldn't help the hope that risen. Her stern answer squashed down all the chances of him saving her from the nightmare she wished upon herself. "No."

Turning his car around, he hung up.

Annoyed, and a little cautious, Elena surveyed Abby Bennett's property, wondering what he could have meant about things getting messy. She quickly passed it off as a scare tactic, a threat to stay away from the one thing that could help us access whatever he feared.

Elena went inside, witnessing Abby reach for Bonnie, pleading for her daughter to stay. They looked at her, and she searched her best friend's eyes for confirmation. Bonnie nodded, and before Abby could ask, Elena opened the door again, taking a step out. "I'll wait outside."

With the sun casting down on her, she walked to the wooden barn, stopping when she heard a dog bark, a bird squawking. Looking around, she spotted nothing but the house, grass, and trees in sight. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, and slightly irritated by the paranoia Klaus' phone call had given her, she turned back around. Only to face a dissatisfied Stefan.

"Hi, Elena. Nice lake house." he greeted, a smirk sitting thinly on his lips. Trying her best to ignore the vampire, she walked around him—and he followed—only stopping when she was under the shade of the mini barn. Stefan threw his arms up. "So what, you'd think I wouldn't find out?"

Politeness had been used up after Klaus's call, and Elena shrugged, not bothering to lie. "Honestly, I didn't care."

He walked up to her, his face nearing hers. Anger washed over his features. "This is exactly why I didn't want you in the loop, Elena."

"Yeah, because now you can't do whatever you want." she fired back.

He scoffed, turning his back to her. He kicked a chair down, breaking it in the process and he cursed. "Damn it."

"Hey!" a voice shouted behind her. They turned around to find Jamie climbing down the stairs. "Everything all right out here?"

Concerned about Stefan's temper, Elena helped answered. "Hey, Jamie, go back inside, okay? Please, trust me. It's better off for you there."

Jamie eyed Stefan, as did Elena. He took a step towards them, walking past Elena, a warning in his steps, recognition glazing his eyes. "I don't think so."

Stefan exhaled. "I'd listen to her. Get back upstairs, man."

"I said I don't think so."

His patience running thin, Stefan grabbed the boy's neck. His compulsion working on Jamie. "Get back upstairs before I tear your damn throat out, do you understand me?"

Jamie stumbled back as Stefan pushed him away. Elena placed a hand on Jamie's arm, glaring at the vampire. "I don't think you realize how bad you've gotten!"

"This is the way it has to be, Elena," he said with indifference, watching as Jamie walked out of his eyesight.

She scorned. "Oh, yeah, right. Out-villain the villain. I get it."

Before either of them could react, they heard a gun cocking, Jamie coming out with a rifle in his hands. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Jamie, what are you doing?" she asked, momentarily forgetting about Stefan's dismay.

"What I was told," he replied, eyes never leaving Stefan's. "He's not supposed to be here."

Realizing what had happened, Stefan began to reach his arm out for her. "Elena, he's compelled."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jamie fired at Stefan, throwing him on his back. She lets out a gasp, shocked. While Stefan writhed on the ground, Jamie grabbed a rope, forcing her against the wooden support beam, pulling her arms back around the beam, and wrapped the rope tightly around her wrists.

She struggled against them, watching her ex-boyfriend groan in pain. "Why are you doing this?"

"Stop moving," Jamie commanded, pausing to assess the injured vampire on the ground.

With the wooden bullet still in his chest, Stefan groaned, a hand on his injury, and Elena couldn't help but share his pain. "Jamie, let me go. Jamie, he needs help."

A voice cut her off, Abby yelling. "Jamie!"

"Bonnie," Elena saw Abby dragging an unconscious Bonnie to her car, and she trashed against her bindings. "Bonnie!"

Jamie ran to help Abby, lifting her limp body into the car while Elena thrashed uselessly against the rope, grunting. She wished she had taken Klaus' warning more seriously. She saw the car drove off and Jamie came back, his rifle in hand.

Minutes went by slowly as she begged Jamie to let her out. Stefan tried to dig the bullet from his chest but was unsuccessful. Before they knew it, the sunset, leaving them in the dark as Jamie wordlessly observed them from his spot.

As upset as she was at Stefan, she couldn't bear to see him in pain. She knew he would heal quickly once the bullet was out, but as he grunted agony, the less she was certain the bullet hadn't somehow crawled its way into his heart. Elena hadn't stopped fighting against the rope, knowing sooner or later she'd break free.

Stefan looked at her as she continued, rubbing the rope against the thin, metal wire behind the support beam. "I've almost got it."

The vampire lets out a strangled cry, Jamie ignoring the noise as he walked towards Elena, rifle in hand. "Abby hasn't called yet."

In a desperate attempt, she begged. "Jamie, please, just let us go."

He cocked the gun loudly, and Stefan froze, fear rushing in as he glanced at Elena, making sure she was okay. Elena halted, as Jamie shook his head. "No! Please, don't do anything. Look, I don't know why I shot him. I don't know why I'm holding this gun, but if you move or do anything, I'm going to shoot him again."

"Okay, I won't," she said, remorse leaking into her tone. "Who gave you that gun?"

"A man came by here earlier today," Jamie replied, the reluctance clear on his face. "He said it was wooden buckshot. Told me if anyone got in our way, I'm supposed to shoot 'em."

Dread flowed through her veins. He couldn't have. She shook her head slightly. "What else did he say?"

"If Abby didn't find the location of some coffins ... I'm supposed to shoot myself," he answered.

She lets herself wallow in fresh regret, realizing how much of a monster Klaus is. The monster she spent the night with, the monster she had allowed to take her to bed. Composing her expression, she exhaled a shaky breath. "What about me? What did he say about me?"

"I'm not supposed to hurt you. If I do, he said his boss will rip my head off himself." Jamie replied, mumbling the words that had been spoken to him.

Realization washed over her. Klaus had let one of his corrupted minions do his bidding. She ignored the relief it brought her that he kept his word, allowing her to survive unscathed. An idea came to her as she finally broke free of the ropes. "Are you sure? Because ... these ropes are so tight that it is hurting me."

Buying the act, Jamie walked towards her, close enough for her to grab the rifle, and hit him in the head with it, the boy grunting as he collapsed, hitting the ground. Dropping the rifle, she rushed over to Stefan.

Kneeling, she inspected the wound, her eyes flickering between his face and the hole in his chest. "What can I do to help?"

Breathless, Stefan closed his eyes. "Every time I move, the wood shifts inside of me. I can feel it scraping against my heart. You need to get the pieces out."

She grimaces, taking a few seconds to assess the wound. She nodded, taking a deep breath. Her fingers curl inside the wound, and she felt blood hit her skin as Stefan growled in torment. Elena searched for the piece of wood, trying not to inflict more pain on him, but his groans turned to deep screams.

Taking her hands away, she felt helpless. "I'm just trying to help!"

Stefan brings himself on his elbows, staring at her, his tone desperate. "Just get it out, Elena, please. Just get it out."

With a sigh, she returned back to her task. "If you keep squirming, maybe I'll feel sorry for you."

Her fingers wrapped around the wood, and she tugged, hard, taking the wood from his chest. Soaked in his blood, Elena showed him the bullet, and Stefan sighed in relief. She threw it on the ground, wiping the blood on her jeans.

Stefan eyed the doppelganger, seeing past the constant sadness. "You've changed. Something's different about you. You're stronger. Tougher."

A moment of silence passed between them as she contemplated his words. "You're not the only one who changed, Stefan. We all had to."

In the end, Bonnie had been disappointed by her mom's betrayal. Elena sent her a text, asking if she was okay. The witch had sent back a simple 'yes.' It was enough for her to refrain from asking anything else. Stefan drove her home, silent the whole way back to Mystic Falls. Her jeans were stained with his blood, and her hands were in the same conditions. He stopped right in front of her house, parking the car beside the curb.

She got out without a word. Stefan had to stop himself from getting out, and apologizing for putting her through hell. Instead, he drove away before she could get inside, knowing if she looked back, he wouldn't have the strength to not take her into his arms.

As Elena walked towards the house, her phone rang. Stefan's car was still racing down the street, so she ruled him out. An unknown number lit up her screen. Out of paranoia, she glanced around, the streetlights showing an empty street.

"Hello?" she answered.

A few moments passed in silence, and right as she was about to hang up, a voice spoke. "Are you alright?”

Her heart fluttered at the sound of his voice—out of fear, she would later try to convince herself. Klaus sounded strained, tired just as she was. Seconds passed. Then she replied. "Yes."

Elena wasn't certain but for a brief moment, she heard Klaus murmur something unintelligible. In the same strained voice, he whispered. "Good."

He hung up on her the second time in the past 24 hours.

Elena walked to the house, opening the door. Just before stepping in, she swore she saw a black figure of a man, hidden under the shadows. With a shiver, she steps into the house, leaning against the door, wondering what the hell she was going to do.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and reviews are appreciated.


End file.
